He had read about this plant and it was one that provided above average healing. Its sap reduced inflammation and accelerated clotting. In his current state, even a handful of leaves would be worth the risk.
He did not move.
The skeleton with mana-coated fists lunged suddenly, abandoning rigid blade exchanges in favor of brutal close-quarters strikes. Its fist slammed into one boy's guard and shattered the thin mana barrier around his forearm before driving into his ribs. The sound that followed was wet and wrong. The boy folded sideways, breath torn from his lungs as he collapsed to one knee.
Another skeleton pivoted unnaturally and kicked backward, its heel catching the movement-focused boy mid-shift. The impact disrupted his mana flow and sent him skidding across dirt and roots, skin tearing along his shoulder as he rolled.
The fight was not clean. It was chaotic and punishing.
Ivor remained in shadow, circling slowly along the tree line to improve his angle while keeping himself hidden. He adjusted his grip on his sword and watched their coordination. They were not amateurs, but neither were they synchronized. Each relied heavily on their chosen skill, leaving gaps whenever mana flared too strongly in one area.
He waited.
The brute-force user roared again and drove his blade downward, this time splitting a skeleton's skull cleanly in two after a sustained exchange. The red light within the eyes flickered violently before fading as the body collapsed.
Two remained.
One of the injured boys forced himself upright despite shallow breathing and joined the fray, driving his dagger repeatedly into the second skeleton's spine while another distracted it from the front. The movement user regained balance and finished it with a precise thrust through the head.
The last skeleton, the one using mana-coated fists, did not retreat. It stepped into them aggressively, as it coated both arms simultaneously. The next punch broke through a guard entirely and sent another boy spinning to the ground, blood spraying from a split brow.
They swarmed it together in desperation. Steel rang against bone in rapid succession. Mana flared and collapsed repeatedly as exhaustion set in. Finally, the brute-force user locked the skeleton's arms while the dagger wielder drove his weapon straight into the skull. The red light shattered outward in a pulse, and the skeleton fell down in bones and dust.
Silence followed, broken only by heavy breathing.
One by one, the boys staggered back. Two were bleeding badly. One leaned heavily against his weapon. The pouch containing Frostvine was clutched in a trembling hand.
They began extracting the mana crystals from the fallen skeletons, crouching and prying them free with tired movements. Someone laughed weakly. Another dropped to sit on the ground, head lowered.
That was the moment Ivor chose. In his right hand he held the dagger and the sword in his left.
He stepped from the tree line without announcement and crossed the distance at a controlled pace before accelerating sharply. His injured leg protested, but he ignored it. The pressure behind his eyes spiked suddenly, forcing his face to flinch for a fraction of a second. Then the world narrowed.
For a brief moment his vision tightened, the edges of the clearing fading as everything in front of him pulled into focus.
The boy nearest to him reacted first, lifting his weapon in a hurried swing. Ivor stepped inside the arc instead of retreating and drove his dagger into the boy's thigh. He twisted once and pulled free before the boy collapsed with a strangled cry.
Shouts erupted around him.
The brute-force user lunged immediately, bringing his heavy blade down with what strength he had left. Ivor pivoted just enough for the strike to miss and felt the rush of air past his shoulder. As the weapon struck dirt, he slashed across the attacker's forearm, then stepped in and thrust the dagger straight through his bicep before pulling it free. The boy stumbled back, his grip failing and cursing loudly.
Ivor pivoted hard and met another strike using his dagger against another dagger user, steel clashing once before he angled his body and stepped through the opening. He drove the pommel of his sword into the boy's jaw and followed with a dagger punch straight through his shoulder. The boy screamed, Ivor dropped low and cut across his calf before rolling away and creating some distance.
At the edge of his vision, he caught the movement-based fighter trying to circle behind him. Ivor shifted position before the boy could complete the flank and struck with the sword as he closed in, smashing him across his midsection and forcing him to fold over.
The fifth boy tried to stand with the Frostvine pouch still clutched in his hand, but Ivor reached him in two strides and kicked him back down before he could raise his weapon.
Within moments, all five were on the ground.
The pressure behind his eyes eased slightly, though it did not disappear. He remained still for a breath longer, scanning for sudden movement before stepping forward to collect what he had come for.
Blood soaked into the dirt. Groans filled the clearing.
"Who the hell are you?" one of them demanded as he tried to push himself up.
Ivor did not answer. He stepped forward and swung the sheathed sword in a short arc, bringing it down hard against the side of the boy's head. The impact knocked him flat again, his body hitting the ground with a dull thud as he went still.
Ivor remained alert for several seconds longer, scanning for any last surge of resistance. When none came, he moved quickly.
He retrieved the Frostvine pouch first and secured it inside his belt. Then he collected the seven mana crystals from them despite their shouts , sliding them into his pouch without hesitation. On one of the boys, the one who had first thrown the plant, he found three scrolls tucked inside. He took those as well.
Only then did he step back. He let his gaze pass over each of them one final time, confirming they were still down and in no condition to follow. Satisfied, he turned and slipped back into the forest at a steady run.
He followed the route he had taken earlier until he reached the spot where he had left his pouch. After a brief glance around to ensure no one had disturbed it, he picked it up, adjusted the strap across his shoulder, and continued deeper into the trees without slowing.
******
On Ivor's previous battlefield, the tension had shifted into something quieter but no less serious.
"Thank you, Nara," the boy whose hand Ivor had smashed said through clenched teeth. He was seated against a tree trunk, his injured forearm wrapped tightly in a clean bandage that had already begun to darken faintly where blood seeped through.
"Never mind. You should be more careful," Nara replied evenly as he crouched beside him and pulled two small blue berries from a leather pouch at his waist. They were smooth and faintly luminous beneath the forest light.
"Here. These should speed up the healing."
The injured boy stared at them in surprise. "Crest berries? Those are rare."
Nara shrugged lightly. "Luna has a sharp nose. She found them."
A short distance away, Luna was kneeling beside the two girls Ivor had attacked earlier and attending to them. Her beast ears shifted independently as she listened to the conversation without looking over.
"She is a lynx, after all," Nara continued. "By the way, who was that?"
The injured boy shook his head slowly. "I don't know. It happened too fast. The whole thing barely lasted ten seconds." He swallowed. "I've never seen anyone fight like that. Do you think he belongs to another handler? Maybe a private one?"
Nara's expression remained thoughtful rather than alarmed. "I'm not sure. I haven't met everyone under different handlers. He could be from a private group or transferred recently." He rose to his feet and scanned the tree line briefly. "Either way, I think you should withdraw from the Scar for today. All of you are too injured to continue safely."
"Yeah," the boy agreed after a pause. "We'll rest a little, then head out."
Nara gave a short nod and walked toward Luna. They exchanged a few quiet words while the others recovered. When they finally turned to leave the clearing, a faint smile touched Nara's lips.
"Interesting," he said under his breath. "I know all the kids assigned under the public handlers, and he doesn't resemble any of them. Where did that anomaly come from?" He glanced at Luna. "Did you recognize his scent?"
She shook her head once. "No. We met for the first time."
"I thought so." Nara's smile lingered. "And from what I've heard, two other groups were attacked earlier today. That means it was likely him."
"He is walking a dangerous path," Luna said calmly.
"Maybe," Nara replied. "Or maybe he knows exactly what he is doing."
He studied her briefly before asking, "Can you track him?"
Luna's lips curved slightly, revealing the full length of her canines as her tail swayed once behind her.
"Of course," she answered aloud.
'The smell of ash and blood.' She thought inwardly.
Nara gave a low chuckle and broke into a run. "Then let's go. I don't intend to let him disappear."
Luna followed, her steps nearly soundless as they slipped into the forest in pursuit.